Help to Buy

Compare RICS Help to Buy valuers to repay your equity loan

Instant fixed quotes from local RICS-registered valuers for the Red Book valuation Target accepts. Compare price, earliest visit and reviews, then book online.

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RICS is the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. For a Help to Buy valuation it matters specifically because Target and Homes England will only accept a Red Book market value report from a RICS-qualified, registered valuer. If the valuer is not RICS registered, your report can be rejected and you may have to pay for a fresh valuation.

London · SW18

RICS regulated

★★★★★ 4.9 · 120 reviews

Service: Help to Buy valuation
Earliest visit: Tue 9 Jun
Fixed quote: £200 inc. VAT

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Help to Buy Valuation (RICS)

Compare and book, in minutes.

A Help to Buy valuation is a RICS Red Book market value report you need to repay, redeem or staircase your equity loan. Target, the scheme administrator, requires it from a RICS-registered valuer, addressed to Homes England. On Home.co.uk you compare local valuers on fixed price, availability and reviews, then book in minutes.

Enter the property postcode

Tell us the property and we find local RICS valuers who cover it.

Compare real quotes

See providers side by side on fixed price (inc. VAT), earliest availability and verified reviews.

Book and pay online

Confirm in a single sitting and pay securely — written confirmation straight away.

Your appointment is arranged

Your chosen provider liaises with the agent or vendor, attends, then sends your report.

Is this the right one?

Who a Help to Buy valuation is for.

You are selling a home bought with a Help to Buy equity loan and need to work out what you owe Homes England
You are repaying or redeeming the equity loan from your own savings, without selling
You are remortgaging and your new lender needs the equity loan repaid or the property valued
You want to make a partial repayment (staircasing) to reduce the percentage you owe
Your previous Help to Buy valuation has expired and you need a fresh report or a desktop extension

What you get

What your Help to Buy valuation includes

A Red Book market value

A current open-market value prepared to the RICS Valuation Global Standards (the Red Book) — the figure Target uses to calculate what you repay Homes England.

At least three comparables

Three or more like-for-like sales from the last 12 months, matched on type, size and age and within two miles of your home, exactly as the scheme criteria require.

Addressed to Homes England

Produced on the firm's headed paper, addressed to Homes England, and supplied as a non-editable digital document such as a PDF — not an editable file.

A RICS-registered valuer

Signed by a RICS-qualified, registered valuer (AssocRICS, MRICS or FRICS) who is independent of any estate agent, so Target will accept it.

Valued by the comparable method

Assessed against real local sales evidence — not a desktop estimate, an automated online figure or an estate agent's marketing appraisal.

Valid for three months

The report is valid for three months from the date it is produced; complete your repayment within that window or arrange a desktop extension.

Used for the 'higher of' calculation

If you are selling, Target bases your repayment on the higher of the RICS market value or the agreed sale price, so the valuation is central to the sum.

Independent and conflict-free

The valuer confirms they are not related to or known to you and have no involvement in any sale, as the scheme requires for an acceptable report.

How much it costs

Help to Buy valuation cost in 2026.

Fixed from £299 inc VAT — the quote you see is the price you pay, with no "from £X" teasers and no add-ons at checkout

£200–£450

UK average roughly £250–£350 inc VAT, higher in London and the South East

Price is driven mainly by the property's value and size and by location; London and the South East typically run higher. A desktop extension to renew an expired report is usually charged separately and costs less than a full revaluation.

How long it takes

Appointment and turnaround.

On-site / inspection

Around 30–60 minutes on site for a typical home

Report / certificate

Typically delivered within around 2–5 working days

Usually about 1 week from booking to receiving the report; allow longer at busy periods

Why compare here

Comparing that actually means comparing.

Rivals make you fill in a form and wait for a panel to email estimates and call you back. Home.co.uk shows you bookable quotes you can confirm in minutes.

Real fixed prices

Every quote is the price you actually pay, inclusive of VAT — compare fairly in seconds.

Live availability

See who can attend soonest and confirm online there and then — no waiting for a callback.

Genuine reviews

Real customer reviews help you weigh experience and service — the cheapest quote isn't always right.

Or let Homemove arrange it

Prefer a hands-off route? Homemove's managed service appoints a vetted local provider for you, with a dedicated account manager.

Compare RICS valuers now

Regulated & accountable

Every provider is RICS.

When you compare on Home.co.uk you're comparing like-for-like, accredited providers — not the cheapest unqualified option.

Common questions

Help to Buy valuation, answered.

What is a Help to Buy valuation and why do I need one?

It is an independent RICS Red Book valuation of your home's current market value, required when you repay, redeem or staircase your Help to Buy equity loan. Because the loan is a percentage of your property's value, Target uses the valuation to calculate exactly what you owe Homes England. You arrange and pay for it yourself.

Does the valuer have to be RICS-registered?

Yes. The scheme only accepts a valuation from a RICS-qualified, registered valuer who is independent of any estate agent and not known to you. If your surveyor is not RICS registered, Target can reject the report and you may have to pay for another. Every valuer you compare on Home.co.uk is RICS-regulated.

How long is a Help to Buy valuation valid for?

Three months from the date the report is produced. If you do not complete your repayment or sale within that window, the valuation expires. The RICS firm that did the original valuation can usually issue a desktop extension letter, valid for a further three months, without revisiting the property.

How much does a Help to Buy valuation cost?

In the UK a Help to Buy valuation typically costs roughly £200 to £450 including VAT, with London and the South East at the higher end. On Home.co.uk you book a fixed price from £299 inc VAT — the figure you see is the figure you pay, with no "from" teasers and nothing added at checkout.

Is a Help to Buy valuation the same as a survey?

No. A valuation assesses your property's market value for the equity loan calculation; it is not a condition survey and does not report on defects, repairs or the state of the building. If you also want to understand condition, that is a separate RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. A mortgage valuation for a lender is different again.

What does the report have to contain to be accepted?

It must be a Red Book market valuation on the firm's headed paper, addressed to Homes England, and supplied as a non-editable PDF or similar. It needs at least three comparable sales from the last 12 months — like-for-like in type, size and age, within two miles of your home — and confirmation the valuer is independent and has no conflict of interest.

What happens if my valuation expires before I repay?

You do not necessarily need a brand-new inspection. The RICS firm that produced the original report can usually provide a desktop valuation letter that extends it by a further three months without visiting the property again. This costs less than a full revaluation, which is why many homeowners stay with the firm that did their first report.

How is my repayment worked out from the valuation?

You repay the same percentage of the property's value that you originally borrowed. If you are selling, Target bases the figure on the higher of the RICS market value or your agreed sale price, so you cannot reduce what you owe by under-selling. If you are repaying without selling, the RICS valuation sets the figure.

Can I use the estate agent's valuation or an online estimate instead?

No. Target requires an independent RICS valuation; a free estate agent appraisal or an online estimate will not be accepted. The valuer must be impartial, with no involvement in any sale, which is why a separately instructed RICS-registered valuer is needed rather than the agent marketing your home.

Do the quoted prices include VAT and are they final?

Yes. Every quote you compare on Home.co.uk is fixed and inclusive of VAT — the price shown is the price you pay, with no "from £X" estimates and no extra charges appearing at checkout. You can see each valuer's earliest availability and reviews before you book and pay securely online.

How quickly can I get the valuation done?

Because you can see each valuer's earliest visit and book instantly, many homeowners arrange the inspection within a few days. The visit itself is usually around 30 to 60 minutes, with the report typically back within roughly two to five working days — allow about a week from booking to report overall.

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